These stains are the pits!

September 20, 2013

Dear Heloise: I read an article in The (Colorado Springs, Colo.) Gazette in which you mentioned that you also wrote for Good Housekeeping magazine. You said the article mentioned how to take out UNDERARM STAINS from fabrics. Could you tell me the secret? Thank you. -- L. Peterson, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Thanks for reading my newspaper column! Good Housekeeping magazine, for which I have written for almost 30 years, did a story on me (March issue) that included a lot of hints, as well as this one.

Getting perspiration stains out is a common question! Here is the information to help you: Sweat won't stain if you let antiperspirant or deodorant dry prior to putting on your clothes.

Pretreat existing underarm stains with household vinegar to help dissolve the perspiration.

To prevent more buildup, wash in the hottest water that's safe for that fabric at least every third or fourth time. Hope this works for you! -- Heloise

P.S.: Visit my website at www.Heloise.com to read the full story and hints.

Recliner hint

Dear Heloise: I bought a new light-colored recliner. It has become the favorite of everyone in the family. The problem is that the armrests were getting dirty. While at the store, I saw some hand towels about the same color of the chair. I put them on the arms of the chairs. They stay put, and I can wash them if they get dirty. -- Emily B. in Nebraska

Plant receptacle

Dear Heloise: I have a beautiful plant that has grown very large and tall. Pricing large pots, I was in sticker shock! Then, when putting away trash, I noticed the tall, plastic kitchen trash can and thought that one would be perfect for the plant. So, I bought a new one and transplanted the plant. It worked great, and it isn't evident that it is actually a trash can. -- Melissa R. in Pennsylvania

No baggage handling

Dear Heloise: I was planning a vacation and flying to my destination, so I mailed my clothing, toiletries, costume jewelry, etc., about a week before my arrival, and it worked great. I packed for the eight-day visit, and it didn't cost but a few dollars more than the airline checked luggage fee. I insured the box just in case it got lost. I didn't have to worry about retrieving luggage, checking it or toting it through the airport. -- Kasey R., Washington, D.C.

Password picking

Dear Heloise: I have been having trouble keeping up with my passwords lately, and I became confused. So, to solve the problem, I started using relatives with a number at the end, and that number is always the same.

I ran out of relatives and am now using celebrities. It seems you never run out of them. Just a little something to help your readers. -- D.J.H. in Dallas

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Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to 1-210-HELOISE or email it to Heloise(at)Heloise.com. I can't answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.